We’re starting a K9 program next month. We’ve got input from some neighboring agencies, but this is the first time we’ve had patrol K9s in 30 years. Do any of you use those K9 goggles for your dogs on a regular basis? Are they necessary? Anyone use the goggles that have a mounting plate for a camera? If so, which one and which camera?
Just curious since later this year I’ll be taking over the patrol section and the K-9 unit will be under me.
Formerly known as xpd54.
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I had doggles but my dogs rarely wore them. They’re nice to have if your dog is participating in any FoF training just in case.Originally Posted by Lon
We were never able to find a camera mounting solution that worked for us. The way the dogs move it’s always jerking around making it hard to see. There was a dog helmet being made that had a camera mount on it. I left before I could get one to T&E. They were custom made for the dogs head so they were around $600 without the camera IIRC.
I found the link. I think this is the system I was looking at. K9Helm.
Ray Allen is carrying them. Ray Allen K9 Helm
Just a dog chauffeur that used to hold the dumb end of the leash.
I haven't been a handler for almost eight years so maybe something has changed, but...
K9 charity groups bought our dogs ballistic vests, goggles and other accessories to protect them.
While a nice idea, these items honestly made it harder for the dog to function and made them arguably less safe. They lived in a bag in my trunk and never came out.
We tried the camera thing, but honestly all it will do is make the viewer motion sick. If you need to see where a dog is use an IR strobe on the dog's harness and a drone.
My dog and other dogs in my unit tended to just wear a soft collar with ID, a high quality stainless Herm-Sprenger pinch collar, a Dogtra E-collar, and sometimes a harness with ID.
I'm a big fan of Ray Allen Biothane leads. They last forever and are easy to clean. Pretty much any dog stuff you need can be found in a Ray Allen catalog or Elite K9.
Just a little K9 advice...
Purchase or make software to track dog training and use. Every time the dog comes out of the car, crate or kennel you should be tracking it as training. If you make the dog down and then release to eat it should be documented. Literally everything is a training opportunity and you are losing out if you aren't capturing that data. It leads into a training to bite ratio for liability.
Make sure your dog/handler team does formal training for at least four hours once a week with other handlers. Find a local group if you are just starting out. My department does four hours of manwork and four hours of detection work every Thursday and has done so for the past forty years. Don't rely on the handler "just setting something up" every now and then. It isn't enough. I realize staffing sucks for everyone right now and it seems like a big investment in time, but let's be honest, how much does it cost versus the liability of a bad bite?
Im envious of the opportunities you have as professional handlers. Having a trained dog was one of the most fun and rewarding things Ive ever done.
My young son was asked if I did training with my dog at an outdoor match. He told them no. I explained to him that every moment with the dog was training. Besides that I took the dog to the place where I got her and they had a huge training field with tons of obstacles, a small building a suspended bridge and a trolley on cables over a large pond that the dogs also went through. Kids 🤷
@Lon congrats sounds like a great job.
I'll wager you a PF dollar™ 😎
The lunatics are running the asylum
Thanks. It’s kind of bittersweet. I absolutely love being in charge of the Detective Section and I’ll miss that work, but I’m looking forward to the new challenges the Patrol Major job offers.
Here’s Koda. Czech Shepherd.
Formerly known as xpd54.
The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions or policies of my employer.
www.gunsnobbery.wordpress.com
Koda is a good looking dog!
Just a dog chauffeur that used to hold the dumb end of the leash.
Yep. He’s gonna be a big one. Pics don’t do him Justice. He’s got huge paws. @85-90 lbs at 14 months. He and his handler came to firearms training tonight to get some gunshot experience.
Formerly known as xpd54.
The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions or policies of my employer.
www.gunsnobbery.wordpress.com
Yep he’ll be big. Hunter the GSD I worked was 88 pounds fully grown.
Just a dog chauffeur that used to hold the dumb end of the leash.
I’m looking forward to see what he can do when he hits the street.
Formerly known as xpd54.
The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions or policies of my employer.
www.gunsnobbery.wordpress.com
With the Czech linage I’m betting he’ll be a hunter!
Just a dog chauffeur that used to hold the dumb end of the leash.
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